Redo of, THE BLUE MAX!

[carrick58 23]

I sort-of remember seeing a scene in the film where there were two triplanes with engines running. One had a rotary (much to my surprise) and the other had a radial. Was I seeing things?

 

 

Jim, I think you are right The U tube clips just show the non rotary Check the Trailer

 

[Creaghorn 10]

i think CGI would be better, as long as it's made good. red baron movie shows that CGI can make good and real looking AC (compared to flyboys, which really looks very computerish). they should only look for realistic behaviour instead of too much star wars style FM. IMO CGI would be better because you can make a pilot do whatever you wanna do. in real AC (blue max etc.) the stuntflyers are too cautious and have to fly certain patterns with safety first crap and where one can see that it's only choreographic. in hells angels and dawn patrol and wings on the other hand one can really see that there are real veterans flying.

[carrick58 23]

A vid of the Aircraft used in 60 ish Movie Blue Max.

 

[JFM 18]

The 'Hollyweird' crew of 'Today' could F**K UP a Wet Dream. Plus of course you realize the insertion of at least 3 torrid sex scenes, one of which would leave 'nothing' to the imagination. And you already know all the flight scenes must include CGI

 

Leave the 'classic' alone.

 

However I would buy the DVD again, if it were ever converted into Blu Ray

 

 

+1, except for the Blu Ray part.

[rabu 9]

The part for Stachel requires a youngish, "pretty boy" but rugged looking character.. Peppard fit that well.

 

How about Daniel Bruhl from Germany? Also, Tom Cruze, Brad Pit, or Johnny Depp would be good.

[shredward 12]

PJ as director,

OBD doing the CG

 

 

 

[Olham 164]

PJ as director,

OBD doing the CG

 

 

 

 

It would indeed be very great and desireable, that a film team working with computer generated

graphic scenes would ask for the advice of people, who know some more about those craft.

 

I recently saw the pilot film of Spielbergs "Taken" (or better: the first ten minutes - wasn't my cuppa).

The German fighters attacking the B 17 bombers were really well made; everything looked pretty

impressive. But here and there, some of the tempo was just wrong - the Messerschmidt's roll rate

was more like a modern jet's.

Anyway - you could see, how well they could do it meanwhile, and the real stuff like pilot's bonnets

and oxygen masks, and the whole interiour - all looked very great.

[JimAttrill 24]

I looked at the trailer, no rotaries or radials to be seen, but one aircraft looked remarkably like a Tiger Moth

[rabu 9]

I looked at the trailer, no rotaries or radials to be seen, but one aircraft looked remarkably like a Tiger Moth

 

 

Yea, most of the aircraft used were converted Tiger Moths and Stampe SV.4s. With CGI and good historical leadership there's no reason why they couldn't have authentic aircraft and flight properties, somthing not possible using real air planes of the era that are too valuable, could not be flown as recklesely, or would not even be available.

 

It would indeed be very great and desireable, that a film team working with computer generated

graphic scenes would ask for the advice of people, who know some more about those craft.

 

I recently saw the pilot film of Spielbergs "Taken" (or better: the first ten minutes - wasn't my cuppa).

The German fighters attacking the B 17 bombers were really well made; everything looked pretty

impressive. But here and there, some of the tempo was just wrong - the Messerschmidt's roll rate

was more like a modern jet's.

Anyway - you could see, how well they could do it meanwhile, and the real stuff like pilot's bonnets

and oxygen masks, and the whole interiour - all looked very great.

 

I agree, Olham, and there are a lot of gamers and others who would probably contribute what they know for free to see the movie done right.

[carrick58 23]

It would indeed be very great and desireable, that a film team working with computer generated

graphic scenes would ask for the advice of people, who know some more about those craft.

 

I recently saw the pilot film of Spielbergs "Taken" (or better: the first ten minutes - wasn't my cuppa).

The German fighters attacking the B 17 bombers were really well made; everything looked pretty

impressive. But here and there, some of the tempo was just wrong - the Messerschmidt's roll rate

was more like a modern jet's.

Anyway - you could see, how well they could do it meanwhile, and the real stuff like pilot's bonnets

and oxygen masks, and the whole interiour - all looked very great.

 

 

Fore those of us that like Tiger moths, Check out the Older English Film: Sound Barrier There are a number of scenes that detail the aircraft.

[rabu 9]

This site has a list of goofs in the movie. To me they weren't objectionable because the movie was so well done, the acting story, etc. I think that almost any movie you can pick apart and find historical innacuracies, but there is a lot more then that to a good movie.

 

Goofs in The Blue Max (click)

 

Also, here is a website that has info by Randy Wilson about the planes used in the movie.. very interesting.. (click). There is other, fascinating information about the planes and pilots notes, etc. along with WWI photos, etc... well worth a look.

Edited May 15, 2010 by rabu

[rabu 9]

How about Lien Neeson or George Clooney for Humptman Heidemann?

[Olham 164]

Bruno Stachel could be played by Thomas Kretschmann, the "Kaptän Engelhorn"

from "King Kong".

 

 

 

And the Hauptmann: yes, Clooney would be good, or German actor Ulrich Tukur.

 

 

[rabu 9]

Some good choices.

 

The General Klugermann.. Sean Connery would be good. Also, how about Robert Redford? And another, Bruno Ganz would be good, he played Hitler in Downfall and the angel in Wings of Desire. All excellent actors.

[carrick58 23]

How about Veronica Varekova as the Sq Commanders Wife/ Nurse

URL=http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&img=12243][/url]

 

 

 

[rabu 9]

How about Veronica Varekova as the Sq Commanders Wife/ Nurse

URL=http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&img=12243][/url]

 

 

 

 

Sexy, to be sure, but no class.

 

Some one like Catherine Zeta-Jones would fit in better, I think:

 

 

 

 

[carrick58 23]

Sexy, to be sure, but no class.

 

Some one like Catherine Zeta-Jones would fit in better, I think:

 

 

 

 

 

 

OH MOM MA

[Olham 164]

Yeah, she can be both: cute and hot!

[Hasse Wind 46]

I find it strange how few historical movies about air battles and campaigns are made these days. You'd think it would be a great subject - air combat, action, guns firing, big explosions, and maybe a pretty lady or two in some scenes - everything that an exciting movie should have. And with the help of modern computers, the special effects shouldn't be that hard to do convincingly. Aircraft should certainly be easier and cheaper to animate in a realistic and believable way than living creatures, especially humans with our complex facial muscles and structures.

 

There are many stories to be told about the first war in the air, so it didn't necessarily have to be a redo of that classic, The Blue Max.

 

But I'm not holding my breath in excitement. 90% of movies are crap anyway, and nobody seems to be interested in doing a decent WW1 film either.

[rabu 9]

Ya, I would love to see Cecil Lewis' book, Sagittarius Rising some how made into a movie, even if they did have to doll it up a bit with a love story or what ever. If they could come even close to capturing the feeling of his writing style.. Wow!

[Von Paulus 8]

90% of movies are crap anyway, and nobody seems to be interested in doing a decent WW1 film either.

So true. Most of the times what we get is bad CGI. And when we get good CGI, usually, we just get a crap movie, with poor argument, acting, photography and lousy edit.

I bet with the approaching of the centennial anniversary of WWI, we'll get a bunch of WWI's movies. I'm pretty sure most will be crap.

[catch 81]

You'd think it would be a great subject - air combat, action, guns firing, big explosions, and maybe a pretty lady or two in some scenes - everything that an exciting movie should have.

 

Tried that .... and came up with Flyboys I don't think it's possible with the financial machinations of the film industry today, particularly hollywood. Only an independent producer backing the project with his/her own money and quite prepared to lose the lot for the sake of art and realism has any chance of making a half way decent film. Hollywood is not about quality. It's about profits at any cost. And the money that actors command these days. What a joke. That's part of the problem. They're ONLY actors after all. But if idiots keep propping up this stoopid celebrity culture you get what you deserve. Never let an actor speak outside of a sound studio. They have nothing to say.

[rabu 9]

Tried that .... and came up with Flyboys I don't think it's possible with the financial machinations of the film industry today, particularly hollywood. Only an independent producer backing the project with his/her own money and quite prepared to lose the lot for the sake of art and realism has any chance of making a half way decent film. Hollywood is not about quality. It's about profits at any cost. And the money that actors command these days. What a joke. That's part of the problem. They're ONLY actors after all. But if idiots keep propping up this stoopid celebrity culture you get what you deserve. Never let an actor speak outside of a sound studio. They have nothing to say.

 

I wouldn't be that negative.. there have been some good, and some outstanding WWII movies done in the last couple of years. Maybe the problem is that the WWI interest just hasn't been as strong? But flight sims like OFF and others are one way of getting younger people interested and more knowledgeable about that era, I think. And there are foreign films that have been outstanding.. Das Boot, etc. that were done on a fairly small budget, but what made them great was the story and the way they were filmed, as well as being historically accurate. I know it's older, but my main point was about the budget, and with CGI ability, things are actually getting much cheaper when trying to recreate historical events. Film makers have a big advantage today that they didn't have when they made films like The Blue Max. And that movie was filled with inaccuracies, yet most of us here seem to really like it; reason was that the story was so good, the directing, acting, etc... it just worked as a whole.

Edited May 17, 2010 by rabu

[Moritz 0]

I would only to to see it done if it actually better followed the book. If so, the Ursula Andress character, Katie, would be in her mid to late 30's and beginning to lose her beauty, more of a 'Kaiserreich Kougar' than a 20 something nyph. Otto would be the manipulative and panderin CO. The adjutant would have a taste for naughty pics. The murder of Klugermann would be more obvious to the viewer. With CGI and planes from PJ's collection this could be done. Need an RE8. Jack Hunter had been an OSS interrogator in WWII so he took the characters he dealt with and did the Stachel novels based on what he experienced. For Bruno, we need to find a young actor to play an 18 year old alcoholic. One of the things the RB movie did get right was the youth of the pilots, though they did not have the distant gaze that comes with combat stress.

[rabu 9]

Just one more point. Many may not know that Jack Hunter, the author of The Blue Max died at age 87 in April 2009.

 

He was also an artist of WWI planes and had written quite a few other books.

 

From his website(click here): "Hunter's most recent novel, entitled The Ace, came out in October, 2008. A broad-scale view of the human cost of America’s effort in 1917-18 to build and field an air force from scratch after the declaration of war with Imperial Germany, it’s a multi-tiered story that weaves together the lives of a troubled young fighter ace in France, an Army major serving as a consultant to Congress, an unscrupulous Senator, and a beautiful Philadelphia Main Line heiress. Said Hunter, “It takes these people, stirs them in the heat of heroic sacrifice, high-level corruption, slam-bang aerial combat, and unrequited love, then serves up a spread unlike anything ever done in World War I literature. A labor of love, it is, to be sure — but a love which I hope is not unrequited.”

 

Would love to see his new novel, The Ace, made into a film if it's half as good as The Blue Max. I'm ordering a copy, they have the book on Amazon (click here)

 

Here's a quote from Hunter himself on how Hollywood screwed up what he thought was going to be a historically well done film (click to read his whole story about the book and the movie):

 

"Despite my hopes and Delang’s counsel, historical and technical accuracy soon gave way to movieland’s blue smoke. En route to Germany to research another novel, my wife and I were invited to spend a week with the film people on location in Ireland. On the day of our arrival at the Bray Studios, we were shown to canvas director’s chairs with our names on the back and treated to rushes of some key action sequences. And I was literally left speechless when I saw Fokker D-7s with inverted engines and 1916-style insignia, Dr-1s with radial engines and smoke canisters on their landing gear struts, machine-guns that looked like Space Cadet props spouting flame without benefit of ammo tracks, every pilot wearing an Uhlan uniform and Battle of Britain style goggles, Gypsy Moths pretending to be Albatros D-3s, a Stampe presented as an RE-8 — the anachronisms and goofs compounded. When I asked Delang about it later, he merely shrugged, rolled his eyes, and sighed resignedly. When I challenged the art director on something so glaring as a D-7 with curve-sided crosses, he shrugged, too. “That kind of cross photographs better,” he said. Ah, but how about those machine-guns with no ammo feed tracks? Another shrug. “No big deal. People just watch the muzzle flashes.”

 

So much for the definitive WWI aviation movie."

 

So, I guess things weren't that much different then they are now, but we still enjoyed the movie.